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What Teams Can Do With Exhibit 10 Contracts

September 3rd, 2019 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Once the first wave of NBA free agency is over in mid-July, many free agents who sign with teams for the rest of the summer and into the fall receive Exhibit 10 contracts. As we explain in our glossary entry on the subject, Exhibit 10 contracts are one-year, non-guaranteed deals that essentially function as training camp invitations for veterans and rookies alike.

Exhibit 10 contracts appeal to NBA teams for a handful of reasons. Notably, they don’t count against a club’s cap during the offseason and preseason, meaning hard-capped teams like the Warriors and Heat can still fill out their camp rosters with players on Exhibit 10 deals.

Additionally, the Exhibit 10 clause is versatile enough to allow teams to make a variety of moves with players once the preseason ends. Here’s a breakdown of the options teams will have with those players this fall:

1. Carry the player on the team’s 15-man regular season roster

If a team is counting on a camp invitee to make the regular season roster, it will usually try to sign him to a multiyear contract, perhaps sweetening the deal with a partial guarantee. Still, it’s not unheard of for a player on an Exhibit 10 contract to make a strong impression in the preseason and earn himself a spot on a club’s 15-man squad.

In that scenario, the Exhibit 10 deal would begin counting against the team’s cap as of opening night, and would be treated as a standard one-year, minimum-salary contract. If the player remains under contract through January 10, his full salary would become guaranteed. He’d subsequently be eligible for free agency in 2020, and if he has fewer than four years of NBA experience under his belt, he’d be restricted.

2. Convert the player to a two-way contract

Not every team will have room on its 15-man roster for an Exhibit 10 player who looks great in camp, but some of those teams with full rosters might have a two-way contract slot open. Teams can unilaterally convert Exhibit 10 deals into two-way contracts without having to put the player through waivers, where he could be claimed by a rival franchise.

It appears that some teams will invite a handful of Exhibit 10 players to camp and have them compete for two-way deals. The Heat, who have yet to fill either of their two-way slots, are definitely taking this route. The other teams without a two-way player under contract – the Raptors and Rockets – may take a similar approach, and there are nine more teams with a single two-way opening.

One added perk of using this option? Once the player is on a two-way contract, he and the team can subsequently negotiate a new standard contract – even a multiyear deal – without going through the waiver process. Those negotiations aren’t possible if the player is still on an Exhibit 10.

3. Designate the player as a G League affiliate player

Teams can carry 20 players on their offseason rosters, but just 15 – plus a pair of two-way players – in the regular season. As such, many players signed to Exhibit 10 deals will be the odd men out at the end of the preseason and will be released.

Still, that doesn’t necessarily bring a player’s time with the organization to an end. Up to four players waived by teams prior to the season can be designated as “affiliate players” and assigned to their G League squads (assuming the player is on board). Exhibit 10 contracts go hand-in-hand with this arrangement, since they entitle a player of a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived and subsequently spends two months with his team’s G League affiliate.

Many NBA clubs will sign players to Exhibit 10 contracts for the sole purpose of eventually getting those players on their NBAGL rosters and making sure the players get some bonus money in the process.

For players coveted by more than one team, this process can be a complicated one. It’s not uncommon for an undrafted free agent to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with one NBA team, be released by that team early in the preseason, than sign a new Exhibit 10 deal with a second team before being waived again at the end of the preseason.

In that scenario, the player may have originally committed to play for one organization’s G League affiliate before changing course when a better opportunity arises. Assuming his NBAGL returning rights aren’t already held by a team, the NBA club that signs him last would be the one eligible to make him an affiliate player.

It’s also worth noting that the affiliate option doesn’t apply to teams without their own G League teams. The Nuggets and Trail Blazers can sign players to Exhibit 10 contracts, but can’t offer them a $50K bonus to play in the NBAGL, since neither Denver nor Portland has its own affiliate.

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Hawks, Warriors, Grizzlies Have Made Most Offseason Trades

September 3rd, 2019 at 9:30am CST by Luke Adams

A total of 43 trades have been completed by NBA teams since the 2018/19 season ended, including three deals involving three teams and one that included four teams. No club has been more active on the trade market during that time than the Hawks, who completed eight deals. However, the Warriors and Grizzlies have been hot on their heels, with seven trades apiece.

[RELATED: 2019 NBA Offseason Trades]

The Hawks were active early and often in the offseason. They were involved in the first trade agreement of June when they agreed to acquire Allen Crabbe from Brooklyn on June 6, then were part of the league’s first two officially-finalized pre-draft deals when they sent one second-round pick to the Warriors and another to the Heat.

Atlanta didn’t make any massive splashes on the trade market, but the trade up to No. 4 to land De’Andre Hunter‘s draft rights from New Orleans involved eight total players or picks, qualifying it as a modest blockbuster.

The Warriors made one massive move, acquiring D’Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade deal with Brooklyn, but otherwise their summer swaps mostly focused on keeping team salary in check below the hard cap. Golden State moved veterans like Andre Iguodala and Damian Jones to cut costs, while acquiring second-round picks such as Alen Smailagic and Eric Paschall for their modest cap hits.

As for the Grizzlies, they’ve been one of the NBA’s most active teams after overhauling their front office in the spring. Their seven deals were all made with an eye toward the future, as they moved on from franchise point guard Mike Conley and loaded up on draft picks, netting three first-round selections and three more second-rounders over the course of the summer.

Here are a few other notable details related to this offseason’s trades so far:

Teams that have made the most trades:

  • Atlanta Hawks: 8
  • Golden State Warriors: 7
  • Memphis Grizzlies: 7
  • Philadelphia 76ers: 5
  • Washington Wizards: 5
  • Brooklyn Nets: 4
  • Detroit Pistons: 4
  • Miami Heat: 4
  • New Orleans Pelicans: 4
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: 4
  • Phoenix Suns: 4
  • Utah Jazz: 4

Teams that have made the fewest trades:

  • Toronto Raptors: 0
  • Charlotte Hornets: 1
  • Chicago Bulls: 1
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: 1
  • Houston Rockets: 1
  • New York Knicks: 1
  • Orlando Magic: 1
  • Sacramento Kings: 1
  • San Antonio Spurs: 1

Players who have been traded multiple times:

2019 All-Stars or All-NBA players who have been traded:

2020 first-round picks that have been traded:

  • Bucks‘ 2020 first-round pick to Celtics (via Suns; top-7 protected).
  • Cavaliers‘ 2020 first-round pick to Pelicans (via Hawks; top-10 protected).
  • Jazz‘s 2020 first-round pick to Grizzlies (1-7, 15-30 protection).
  • Nuggets‘ 2020 first-round pick to Thunder (top-10 protected).
  • Nets‘ 2020 first-round pick to Hawks (top-14 protected).
  • Pacers‘ 2020 first-round pick to Bucks (top-14 protected).
  • Sixers‘ 2020 first-round pick to Nets (top-14 protected).
  • Warriors‘ 2020 first-round pick to Nets (top-20 protected).

Future first-round picks that have been traded:

  • Heat‘s 2021 first-round pick to Thunder (via Clippers; unprotected).
  • Lakers‘ 2021 first-round pick to Pelicans (9-30 protected).
  • Clippers‘ 2022 first-round pick to Thunder (unprotected)
  • Heat‘s 2023 first-round pick to Thunder (via Clippers; top-14 protected).
  • Clippers‘ 2024 first-round pick to Thunder (unprotected).
  • Lakers‘ 2024 first-round pick to Pelicans (unprotected).
  • Rockets‘ 2024 first-round pick to Thunder (top-4 protected).
  • Warriors‘ 2024 first-round pick to Grizzlies (top-4 protected).
  • Clippers‘ 2026 first-round pick to Thunder (unprotected).
  • Rockets‘ 2026 first-round pick to Thunder (top-4 protected).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Remaining Offseason Questions: Southwest Division

September 2nd, 2019 at 6:01pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA teams have now completed the brunt of their offseason work, with the draft and free agency practically distant memories. Still, with training camps nearly a month away, many clubs around the league have at least one or two outstanding issues they’ve yet to address.

We’re in the midst of looking at all 30 NBA teams, separating them by division and checking in on a key outstanding question that each club still needs to answer before the 2019/20 regular season begins.

After focusing on the Atlantic, Southeast, and Central last week, we headed West and tackled the Northwest on Sunday. Today, we’re moving on to the Southwest. Let’s dive in…

Dallas Mavericks
Will the Mavericks move Courtney Lee‘s expiring contract?

Although the Mavericks had a solid summer, they didn’t make the sort of splash in free agency or on the trade market they might have hoped for. At this point in the offseason, a major roster addition is unlikely, but Dallas could still look to upgrade the squad with a trade involving Lee’s expiring contract.

Lee is earning $12,759,670 in 2019/20. The NBA’s trade rules would allow the Mavs to take back a player making up to $17,759,670 in a straight-up deal for the veteran swingman. Andre Iguodala is said to be one potential target on Dallas’ radar, but the Mavs and Grizzlies haven’t been able to agree on the draft compensation that would be involved in a Lee/Iguodala swap.

There are other players on expiring deals who might make sense as targets for Dallas, including a handful of veterans in Charlotte and Cleveland. The Mavs could also go after a player on a longer-term contract if they find a trade partner looking to create some extra 2020 cap flexibility.

If the Mavs don’t move Lee before the season begins, he’ll likely be involved in trade rumors again before the deadline.

Houston Rockets
How will the Rockets fill out their regular season roster?

No NBA team is currently carrying fewer players on non-guaranteed contracts than the Rockets. Only nine players on Houston’s roster have fully guaranteed salaries for the 2019/20 season. The team is required to carry at least 14 players in the regular season, so that leaves five potential openings on the roster.

Gary Clark and Isaiah Hartenstein are in good position to claim two of those spots. The Rockets have spent some time and energy developing both players, and they each have a partial guarantee worth north of $700K.

Even if we assume Clark and Hartenstein are locks to make the team though, that leaves at least three openings available for the likes of Ben McLemore, Anthony Bennett, Chris Clemons, Michael Frazier, Shamorie Ponds, William McDowell-White, and perhaps Terrence Jones.

It will be interesting to see whether Houston leans toward keeping veterans like McLemore and Jones or youngsters like Ponds and Clemons. I think the former scenario is more likely, but it also wouldn’t be at all surprising to see the team add a couple more players to the mix to compete for the regular season roster.

Memphis Grizzlies
What will the Grizzlies do with Andre Iguodala?

When the Grizzlies acquired Iguodala from the Warriors two months ago, he was essentially treated as a negative asset due to Golden State’s cap situation — the Dubs had to attach a future first-round pick and cash in order to move him. However, the Grizzlies reportedly believe Iguodala can be moved for positive value.

It would be extremely impressive if Memphis’ new management group could get a second first-round pick by flipping Iguodala, but that doesn’t seem all that realistic unless the team is willing to take on some unfavorable multiyear money.

If the Grizzlies have an offer on the table that would net them a second-round pick and a cheaper expiring contract (Iguodala is on the books for about $17.2MM), they should probably jump on it. It’s hard to imagine them getting better value at this time of year, and if Iguodala doesn’t want to be there, hanging onto him into the season could create some friction.

A buyout remains possible if Memphis doesn’t get any favorable trade offers and the former Finals MVP is willing to give up a chunk of his ’19/20 salary, but it seems as if the club would like to avoid that outcome.

New Orleans Pelicans
How will the Pelicans respond to a potential season-ending injury for Darius Miller?

Less than two months after signing a lucrative new contract to remain in New Orleans, Miller suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon that will likely sideline him for the entire 2019/20 season. It’s a tough blow for both the veteran forward and the Pelicans, who will have to lean even more heavily on newly-acquired J.J. Redick as the club’s primary outside threat.

Now that they’ll be without an important three-point shooter, we’ll see if the Pelicans’ approach to building the back of their roster is affected at all. Kenrich Williams may be more likely to earn one of the final two slots on the 15-man roster, given his potential to stretch the floor (he was a 39.5% three-point shooter in his final college season in 2017/18).

There are still some solid shooters on the free agent market too, if the Pelicans want to go in that direction. A veteran like Jodie Meeks or John Jenkins could be a fit, and it’s worth noting that new head of basketball operations David Griffin has a history with former Cavs guard J.R. Smith, who remains unsigned.

San Antonio Spurs
Will Dejounte Murray or DeMar DeRozan sign contract extensions?

Currently, no one on the Spurs‘ roster has a guaranteed contract beyond 2020/21. That could change this offseason though if the team locks up Murray to a rookie scale extension or DeRozan to a new veteran deal.

Murray looks to me like the stronger candidate for an extension, but an August report indicated that San Antonio hasn’t ruled out the possibility of offering DeRozan a maximum contract extension. The shooting guard would be eligible for a starting salary of up to about $33.3MM for the 2020/21 season, with annual raises increasing the value of the deal from there.

A new contract for Murray wouldn’t be nearly that expensive, and could be an intriguing gamble for the Spurs if the young guard is open to signing at a relatively team-friendly rate. Before he tore his ACL last fall, Murray was viewed as one of the NBA’s prime breakout candidates — San Antonio will be hoping that breakout season was just delayed by a year.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Hoops Rumors Glossary: Rookie Scale

September 2nd, 2019 at 5:06pm CST by Luke Adams

When a star player like Zion Williamson enters the NBA, his new team – in this case, the Pelicans – can rest assured that there will be little to no chance of him holding out for a larger contract. That’s because a first-round NBA draft pick is only eligible to sign a rookie scale contract, which limits his leverage and ensures that his draft slot will dictate how much he gets paid.

A rookie scale contract for first-rounders is always for two guaranteed seasons, with team options for the third and fourth seasons of the deal. The scale amount is strictly set by draft position for the first three years of the contract, with the amount of the fourth year determined by a percentage raise on the third-year salary, as RealGM’s rookie scale chart for 2019 picks shows.

Players are eligible to sign for as little as 80% or as much as 120% of the scale amount, though almost every player signs for the full 120%. Cavaliers first-round pick Kevin Porter Jr. became the first player in several years to sign for just 80% of his rookie scale amount this year, and even that rate only applies to his rookie season — he’ll get the full 120% in years two through four.

[RELATED: Rookie Scale Salaries For 2019 First-Round Picks]

Under the NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the rookie scale will eventually increase annually at the same rate as the salary cap. In that scenario, a 5% salary cap increase would mean a 5% increase to rookie scale salaries.

However, the league has been gradually phasing in a 45% overall increase to rookie salaries over the last three seasons (15% per year), complicating that formula. For instance, while the cap only increased by about 7.1% from 2018/19 to 2019/20, the rookie scale amounts for each pick increased by approximately 19.5%.

For the 2019/20 season, the first-year rookie scale amount for the first overall pick is $8,131,200. That number increases to $8,537,900 in year two and $8,944,500 in year three, with a 26.1% raise for year four and a 30% raise for a fifth-year qualifying offer. Williamson signed with the Pelicans for 120% of that amount, meaning his contract looks like this:

Season Salary
2019/20 $9,757,440
2020/21 $10,245,480
2021/22 $10,733,400
2022/23 $13,534,817
2023/24 $17,595,262
  • Team option in green
  • Qualifying offer in blue

The scale amounts and fourth- and fifth-year raises vary depending on draft position. Top picks earn the highest salaries, while late first-round picks get the most substantial bumps at the end of their contracts. For instance, the 30th overall pick gets an 80.5% raise between years three and four, with a qualifying offer increase of 50%.

Here are several more details relating to rookie scale contracts:

  • Only first-round picks are eligible for rookie scale contracts. Second-rounders must be signed using cap room or exceptions.
  • A team does not have to be under the cap to sign rookie scale contracts. Any team can give a first-rounder a full 120% rookie contract, regardless of its cap status.
  • Because 120% contracts are so common, the cap hold for a first-round pick is also 120% of the player’s rookie scale amount.
  • If a player hasn’t signed by January 10, his rookie scale amount becomes prorated each day for the remainder of the season until he signs.
  • Teams have until October 31 each year to make decisions on the team-option seasons in rookie scale contracts. By October 31, 2019, teams will have to decide on the options for the 2020/21 season.
  • Players coming off rookie-scale contracts may be eligible for larger or smaller qualifying offers in their fifth year, based on whether or not they meet the “starter criteria.” I explained this in greater detail here.
  • If a team signs a first-round pick within three years of drafting him, the rookie scale for the year in which he signs is used. For instance, the Sixers acquired 12th overall pick Dario Saric in a draft-night deal in 2014. When Saric arrived stateside two years later, he signed a contract based on the rookie scale salary for the No. 12 pick in 2016.

Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ and salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.

An earlier version of this post was published in 2012. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Cash Sent, Received In NBA Trades For 2019/20

September 2nd, 2019 at 2:33pm CST by Luke Adams

During each NBA league year, teams face limits on the amount of cash they can send out and receive in trades. Once they reach those limits, they’re no longer permitted to include cash in a deal until the following league year.

For the 2019/20 NBA season, the limit is $5,617,000. If a team is including cash in a deal, the minimum amount required is $110,000.

The limits on sending and receiving cash are separate and aren’t dependent on one another, so if a team sends out $5,617,000 in one trade, then receives $5,617,000 in another, they aren’t back to square one — they’ve reached both limits for the season and can’t make another deal that includes cash.

Adding cash to a deal can serve multiple purposes. It can be a sweetener to encourage a team to make a deal in the first place, like when the Timberwolves acquired Shabazz Napier and Treveon Graham from the Warriors. The Wolves were doing the hard-capped Dubs a favor by taking those unwanted contracts and the fact that Golden State had to include $3.6MM in cash along with Napier and Graham, essentially covering their salaries, reflected that.

Cash can also be a necessity to meet CBA requirements. This was the case in the three-team trade involving the Pacers, Suns, and Heat that sent T.J. Warren to Indiana and second-round pick KZ Okpala to Miami. Phoenix needed to receive something in the deal, so the Pacers sent $1.1MM in cash to the Suns, the minimum amount necessary to meet the “touching” requirement in a three-way deal.

We’ll use the space below to track each team’s cash sent and received in trades for the 2019/20 season, updating the info as necessary leading up to the 2020 trade deadline and for the first part of the 2020 offseason next June. These totals will reset once the calendar turns to July 2020 and the ’20/21 league year begins.

Atlanta Hawks

  • Cash available to send: $5,617,000
  • Cash available to receive: $2,543,629

Boston Celtics

  • Cash available to send: $5,617,000
  • Cash available to receive: $5,617,000

Brooklyn Nets

  • Cash available to send: $5,617,000
  • Cash available to receive: $5,617,000

Charlotte Hornets

  • Cash available to send: $5,617,000
  • Cash available to receive: $5,617,000

Chicago Bulls

  • Cash available to send: $5,617,000
  • Cash available to receive: $5,617,000

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Cash available to send: $5,617,000
  • Cash available to receive: $5,617,000

Dallas Mavericks

  • Cash available to send: $5,617,000
  • Cash available to receive: $4,817,000

Denver Nuggets

  • Cash available to send: $5,617,000
  • Cash available to receive: $5,617,000

Detroit Pistons

  • Cash available to send: $3,617,000
  • Cash available to receive: $5,617,000

Golden State Warriors

  • Cash available to send: $17,000
  • Cash available to receive: $5,617,000

Read more

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Poll: Carmelo Anthony Vs. Joe Johnson

September 2nd, 2019 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

None of the players left on the NBA’s free agent list for the 2019 offseason are likely to be difference-makers for a contending team next season, but that doesn’t mean no free agents are capable of being solid rotation players.

Carmelo Anthony and Joe Johnson are two veteran forwards who might fit that bill, and there are plenty of similarities between the two former All-Stars. Neither player will bring a ton to the table on defense, but they’re versatile scorers who have the ability to create instant offense off the bench. Anthony ranks 22nd on the league’s all-time scoring list, while Johnson is also among the top 50 (No. 46). And both players are interested in resuming their NBA careers after unsatisfactory stints in Houston.

Anthony hasn’t played professionally since falling out of the Rockets‘ rotation early in the 2018/19 season, but he has talked this summer about wanting “another shot” and being willing to accept a more modest role. The Nets are among the teams said to be keeping an eye on the 35-year-old.

As for Johnson, his experience with the Rockets came at the end of the 2017/18 season. He sat out last season before starring in the BIG3 this summer, winning MVP honors and excelling against former NBA players (he led the league in points and assists and was fourth in rebounds).

The Sixers, Clippers, Bucks, and Nuggets are said to have some interest in working out Johnson, who has said he’d like to play in the NBA again because the way things ended in Houston didn’t “sit well” with him.

For teams with interest in a scoring forward, both Anthony and Johnson could hold appeal, though it remains to be seen which player is more intriguing to NBA franchises. We want to know what you think.

Which player, Anthony or Johnson, will have a more successful 2019/20 season? The barometer of “success” is somewhat subjective — it could mean averaging double-digit points, contributing to a contending team, or even just making a 15-man roster.

Do you believe there’s a clear-cut choice between the two? Do they both deserve NBA roster spots? Or are you skeptical that either player can provide any value to a contender going forward?

Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to share your thoughts!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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NBA Teams In The Tax For 2019/20

September 1st, 2019 at 7:48pm CST by Luke Adams

While 2019’s salary cap increase wasn’t as substantial as 2016’s, the jump from last season’s $101,869,000 cap to this year’s $109,140,000 represents the second-biggest increase in NBA history.

The luxury tax line increased along with the salary cap, getting a bump all the way from $123,733,000 to $132,627,000 and creating some breathing room for many cap-strapped teams around the league. Still, despite the extra financial flexibility in 2019/20, a handful of teams find themselves above that tax threshold as opening night nears.

Clubs have until the end of the 2019/20 regular season to adjust team salary in an effort to get back under the tax line, and at least one of the teams listed below – the Thunder – figures to push hard to get out of tax territory. But most of the other clubs on the current list of projected taxpayers will have little leverage if they try to dump salary, so it won’t be easy to cut costs.

With the help of salary information from Basketball Insiders and Early Bird Rights, here are the teams projected to be in the tax for ’19/20 as of September 1, 2019:

Portland Trail Blazers
Approximately $12.4MM over tax line

All of the big long-term contracts the Trail Blazers signed in 2016 – for Evan Turner, Allen Crabbe, Maurice Harkless, and Meyers Leonard – are now off the team’s books. However, three of those deals had to be swapped for lucrative contracts belonging to Hassan Whiteside and Kent Bazemore. Throw in huge cap hits for stars Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, plus an eight-figure salary for Jusuf Nurkic, and Portland projects to have the NBA’s highest team salary for the 2019/20 season.

Since last season was the only recent instance the Blazers have paid the tax, they don’t have repeater concerns yet. As it stands, they have a projected tax bill just over $22MM.

Golden State Warriors
Approximately $5.9MM over tax line

The Warriors‘ team salary falls in between the tax line ($132,627,000) and the tax apron ($138,928,000), which acts as a hard cap for the team this season. Golden State is much closer to the latter than the former, with only about $407K in breathing room below the apron.

That figure assumes Alfonzo McKinnie – who has a non-guaranteed contract – holds the 14th roster spot. The Warriors don’t currently have enough room below the hard cap to start the season with a 15th man.

The Warriors project to have a tax bill in the $15MM range, since they’re subject to repeater penalties after finishing in tax territory in 2016, 2018, and 2019. If not for the repeater penalties, that projection would only be in the neighborhood of $9MM.

[RELATED: Recent History Of NBA Taxpaying Teams]

Miami Heat
Approximately $3.8MM over tax line

Like the Warriors, the Heat are in the territory between the tax line and the apron. Some bonuses push Miami’s total team salary to within approximately $855K of the hard cap (per ESPN’s Bobby Marks), but those incentives won’t count against the team’s cap or tax bill if they go unearned.

Our projection for Miami assumes the team will retain Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn, who don’t yet have fully guaranteed salaries. With those two players and their other 12 guaranteed deals, the Heat would have a projected tax bill a little shy of $6MM.

Oklahoma City Thunder
Approximately $921K over tax line

The Thunder have managed to cut costs significantly so far this summer as they’ve retooled their roster, most notably sending Jerami Grant to Denver in a salary-dump deal for a first-round pick.

Oklahoma City briefly inched below the tax line, but only had 13 players under contract at the time. Signing a mandatory 14th (Justin Patton) pushed the club back into tax territory for the time being. Even after accounting for repeater penalties, the Thunder’s tax bill would be pretty modest (about $2.3MM) if they don’t add any more salary, but I expect the team to do all it can to make a cost-cutting trade to get out of the tax altogether.

Although only four teams project to be taxpayers for now, several other clubs – including the Cavaliers, Nuggets, Pistons, and Magic – are within spitting distance of that threshold.

A rebuilding team like Cleveland will likely be extra careful not to finish the season in the tax –particularly since the Cavs would be subject to repeater penalties. Would-be contenders like Denver may be more inclined to pay a small tax bill if it means acquiring one more impact player for a postseason run.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Remaining Offseason Questions: Northwest Division

September 1st, 2019 at 6:15pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA teams have now completed the brunt of their offseason work, with the draft and free agency practically distant memories. Still, with training camps a month away, many clubs around the league have at least one or two outstanding issues they’ve yet to address.

We’re in the midst of looking at all 30 NBA teams, separating them by division and checking in on a key outstanding question that each club still needs to answer before the 2019/20 regular season begins.

After focusing on the Atlantic, Southeast, and Central last week, we’re moving onto the Northwest today. Let’s dive in…

Denver Nuggets
Will Bol Bol sign a two-way contract?

A year ago, Bol was considered a potential 2019 lottery pick. This spring, he fell all the way to No. 44 in the draft due to health concerns. Now it’s not even clear if he’ll sign a standard NBA contract for his rookie season. No player drafted as high as 44th overall has signed a two-way deal as his first NBA contract, but that’s said to be the Nuggets‘ preference for the young center.

From the Nuggets’ perspective, slotting Bol into their two-way opening makes sense. As cap expert Albert Nahmad recently explained, keeping Bol on a two-way contract would allow the club to avoid moving precariously close to the tax line (certain players’ unlikely incentives could subsequently push Denver’s team salary beyond that threshold). It would also allow the organization to bring him along slowly, developing him and making sure he’s healthy in the G League before he’s eventually promoted to the NBA roster.

Of course, it makes sense that Bol would be reluctant to embrace such an arrangement, and he has some leverage if he wants to force the issue. In order to retain his rights, the Nuggets must offer a one-year rookie contract, and Bol could accept it, putting him on track for restricted free agency next summer.

Still, it might be in his best interest to accept Denver’s proposal and trust that the team will do right by him. Monte Morris and Torrey Craig started on two-way deals before they were promoted to the Nuggets’ 15-man roster and became key parts of the club’s rotation. Bol could be next to follow that path.

Minnesota Timberwolves
Does Gersson Rosas have any major moves in the works?

When Rosas took over as the Timberwolves‘ new head of basketball operations this spring, there was plenty of chatter about how his Rockets roots and his apprenticeship under Daryl Morey would make him inclined to swing for the fences more than most first-time general managers.

We haven’t seen much of that so far in Rosas’ first offseason in Minnesota, though it wasn’t for lack of trying — the Wolves reportedly made a serious push for D’Angelo Russell before the All-Star point guard opted to join the Warriors.

Not many blockbuster trades are completed during the preseason, but given Rosas’ reputation, he won’t be averse to exploring the market. Even though moving Andrew Wiggins‘ contract would be tough, the Wolves could theoretically make a big splash – like acquiring veteran point guard Chris Paul – without including Wiggins in the package.

Oklahoma City Thunder
Will the Thunder be able to find a taker for Chris Paul?

Speaking of Paul, the Thunder have been adamant that they’re willing to take a patient approach on the trade market and even start the season with the nine-time All-Star on their roster. Still, I imagine the rebuilding club would jump at the opportunity to send him to a contending team for the right offer.

Paul’s salary ($38.5MM) makes him the NBA’s second-highest-paid player for the 2019/20 season and will make it difficult for Oklahoma City to move him. Even if a suitor could comfortably match salaries, Paul’s two extra guaranteed years hurt his trade value, and the Thunder will be reluctant to attach any draft picks from their treasure trove to help grease the skids on a deal.

Various CBA restrictions for teams around the NBA will limit the market for Paul too. The Lakers would be a logical trade partner, but most of their roster can’t be traded until at least December 15. The Heat might typically have interest in an impact player like Paul, but they’re hard-capped and want their draft picks back from the Thunder.

The Thunder will revisit the CP3 trade market this fall, but finding a favorable deal won’t be easy.

Portland Trail Blazers
What is Jusuf Nurkic‘s recovery timetable?

A broken leg ended Nurkic’s 2018/19 season in March, and he’s not expected to be healthy to start the 2019/20 season. Beyond that, the Trail Blazers haven’t offered up many details on Nurkic’s recovery timetable.

In May, Blazers beat writer Jason Quick speculated that the veteran center might be ready to return to action just before the 2020 All-Star break, which would sideline him for more than half the season. Nurkic will certainly look to beat that timeline, but the Blazers should get a better idea this fall of whether or not that will be possible.

Portland traded for Hassan Whiteside and signed Pau Gasol this offseason, adding the pair of veterans to a center rotation that also figures to include up-and-coming youngster Zach Collins. Assuming decent health, that trio can comfortably hold the fort at the five until February, but Nurkic is still the most talented player of the bunch (for now, at least) and he’ll help solidify the club’s frontcourt when he returns.

Utah Jazz
How will the Jazz’s top players perform in the 2019 World Cup?

Several of Utah’s impact players are participating in the 2019 World Cup in China over the next couple weeks. However, unlike the Celtics – who have four players on Team USA – the Jazz have their players spread across several national teams. Donovan Mitchell is the only one on Team USA’s roster, with Rudy Gobert representing France and Joe Ingles playing for Australia.

While they may not have the same chemistry-building potential that the Celtics’ quartet does, Utah’s World Cup participants have a great opportunity to make an impression on an international stage and boost their stock heading into the 2019/20 season.

We’ve seen plenty of players over the last couple decades follow up strong World Cup or Olympic performances with breakout years for their NBA teams, and Mitchell in particular could be a prime candidate to follow that template. It’ll be worth keeping a close eye on him and the rest of Utah’s international representatives as they look to make deep runs in the FIBA tournament.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Community Shootaround: Overseas Players Who Could Help NBA Teams

August 31st, 2019 at 8:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Anyone who wants to catch the next chapter of “Linsanity” will need a plane ticket to China. Along with Jeremy Lin, they can also watch Lance Stephenson play the air guitar and get a look at Jerian Grant, Chasson Randle and more as a dozen former NBA players are heading to the Far East.

Luke Adams recently chronicled the number of players who were in the NBA last season and have signed overseas contracts this summer. While China leads the way, a significant amount of talent is also headed to Israel, Russia, Spain, Turkey and other locations.

The significant thing about these overseas migrations is that all the seasons are done before the NBA’s. So every March, a new crop of players becomes available, and many of them find roles with contenders who are eager to add depth before the start of the playoffs.

Here are a few players who should attract attention in roughly six months:

  • Lin didn’t see much playoff action with the Raptors, but his regular season numbers were pretty good. He averaged 10.7 points and 3.5 assists in 51 games with the Hawks, followed by 7.0 PPG and 2.2 APG in 23 games with Toronto. Even though he didn’t receive a training camp invitation, Lin showed he still has plenty to contribute after two seasons lost to injury in Brooklyn.
  • With the Lakers in turmoil seemingly all season, L.A. may not have been the best place for the already-volatile Stephenson. Still, he was part of the rotation for 68 games and posted a 7.2/3.2/2.1 line. He’s only 28 years old and should have a few productive years left.
  • Greg Monroe, who’s headed to Germany, didn’t provide the spark that either the Celtics or Sixers were hoping for when they each signed him late in the season. However, he’s only 29 and was a valuable bench presence for Boston in 2018/19.
  • Isaiah Canaan, who will play in China, was the Suns‘ starting point guard at the beginning of last season before being waived in late November. Even though he has bounced around the league and has dealt with injuries, the 28-year-old remains an explosive scorer who can provide instant offense.
  • Ian Clark, who also signed in China, played in two NBA Finals with the Warriors and has spent the past two seasons as a valuable reserve for the Pelicans.
  • Omri Casspi, who will play in Israel, spent almost the entire 2017/18 season with the champion Warriors before being waived just before the playoffs. At 31, he’s a little older than the other candidates on this list, but he’s a stretch four with a nice touch from 3-point range.

We want to get your input. Which overseas players do you think might make a difference in the NBA come springtime? Please leave your answers in the space below.

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Hoops Rumors Originals: 8/24/19 – 8/31/19

August 31st, 2019 at 1:16pm CST by clarkcrum

Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our original segments and features from the past seven days:

  • This week in our Community Shootaround discussions, we focused on:
  • Luke Adams analyzed the amount of “dead money” each NBA franchise is carrying for the 2019/20 season.
  • In this week’s Polls, we asked:
    • Will the Pistons make the playoffs? 60% of you said that they will.
    • Will Team USA win the 2019 FIBA World Cup? Over 60% of you said yes, but over 41% of you said that Team USA will lose at least one game.
  • We began a breakdown of the status of every team’s second-round picks for the 2020 NBA Draft.
  • This year’s Remaining Offseason Questions series began with the Eastern Conference:
  • Luke Adams took a look at the NBA players who are headed overseas for the 2019/20 season.
  • We provided an up-to-date list of all NBA players who will or could become free agents in the summer of 2021.
  • Who are the NBA’s highest-paid players for the 2019/20 season? Find out right here. What about by team? We also have that list, here.
  • October 31 is the last day for teams to exercise team options on the rookie scale contracts of former first-round picks. Check out the decisions on tap for Halloween 2019.
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